brutal | grayson hawthorne

uh huh

***
Lowkey As Hell by Waterparks
***

Liz has taken it upon herself to go no contact with Grayson until she can trust herself to not endure an emotional roller coaster every time she thinks about whether or not she really wants to be with him.

In the meantime, she's decided to make things right with everyone she's wronged after seeing how well it turned out with Grayson.

Even Rebecca and her are back on smiling at each other in passing terms, and she feels a weight lifted off her shoulders.

The only person really left is Thea.

Luckily, the two girls are bound to run into each other tonight at the charity event all Hawthorne's (and Hawthorne-Calligaris') will be in attendance of.

Liz is face is slowly but surely healing, meaning she'll probably be able to cover up the small scratch with makeup, but her hand still needs a large square bandaid in her palm, so she's hoping to cover that with a small clutch bag that she stole from her mom's closet - she won't miss it.

Liz gets to the event after everyone she knows, but she's hiding in the bathroom right now while practicing her script in her mind.

She's tried apologizing to Thea before, but - obviously knowing Thea - it didn't go so well, but it's been 13 months since then, so hopefully the wound has healed enough for it to not feel like Liz's words are salt anymore.

Someone bursts into the room, and Liz spins around to see what the sudden ruckus is.

She would've said something sooner if her breath didn't catch in her throat for a second, but Avery beat her to it anyway.

"Thea did it, I didn't know," she rushes in front of a sink to look at the mirror and takes off the necklace around her neck. "Can you help me take this braid out?" Avery's hands are shaky, but Liz is sure hers wouldn't be much better.

"Sure," she clears her throat, not knowing what came over her. "You look nice though," Liz starts with the hair clips keeping Avery's hair in place.

"She made me look like Emily."

"Oh, that's what you remind me of," Liz says knowing both her and Avery knew that was the first thing she noticed.

Avery lets out a soft laugh at Liz's attempt. "I don't know what's wrong with her."

"Hm," Liz just hums, not wanting to share anything she shouldn't be. She's learned her lesson by now.

"Sorry," Avery seems to notice, how reserved Liz got at her comment. "I didn't realize you and Thea were friends."

"What?" Liz stares at Avery in the mirror. "Oh! No, it's not like that, I just. . . Never mind. We're just definitely not friends."

Avery seems fine leaving it at that, especially as Liz pulls out the last rubber band and her hair can just fall around her shoulders again.

"Thank you," Avery surprises them both by spinning around and engulfing Liz in a hug.

"Oh," Liz's arms immediately go around the brunette in front of her. "Yeah, of course. What else is the girl's restroom for?" She jokes softly.

"I'm gonna go out," Avery collects herself quickly, straightening out her dress as she pulls away. "I'll see you out there."

"Yeah," Liz watches Avery walk out, not really ready to face the world yet. Luckily for her, Thea walks in right then, and she can't leave without getting in a conversation with her.

"Why'd you let her take her hair down? It looked so nice," Thea walks in front of the mirror Avery was in front of just a moment ago to touch up her lipstick.

"That was really messed up," Liz stares at the girl beside her, not sure how to get an opening into her apology. Not sure she even wants to give an apology anymore.

"Yeah, whatever," Thea waves off. "I don't really wanna hear it from you."

"I wanted to talk to you about that, actually," here it is. "I wanted to say sorry. . . again. For. . . telling Emily-"

Thea snaps her head to Liz suddenly. "Bex said she forgave you," it wasn't a question, but Liz answers anyway.

"Yeah," she confirms.

"Then, I do too," Thea turns back to the mirror, fluffing up her hair a bit.

"Really?" Liz stares for a moment. That was easy.

"Yeah, but I still hate you," then Thea walks out, but Liz takes the interaction as win.

***

"Dance with me," Liz is ready to call it a night, but when Jameson approaches her with a hand out, she couldn't say no to old favorite dance partner.

They would twirl each other around the Great Room when Nash was learning how to play guitar when they were younger, and they definitely weren't any good, but the way they move around each other to the rhythm now shows old habits die hard.

"Why aren't you dancing with your girlfriend?" Liz looks over at Xander and Avery who seem to be in a serious conversation on the other side of the dance floor.

"Why aren't you dancing with your boyfriend?" Jameson retorts, moving so Liz can see Grayson sitting at the table by himself, drinking Alisa's wine.

"I'm waiting," is all Liz answers, and Jameson doesn't push more because he never answered Liz's question.

"Eight. One. One," he tells her instead, helping Liz realize what the Davenport revealed. "But I'm sure you already knew that."

"I'm out," Liz answers him. "Not playing anymore."

"Just when it was getting fun?" Jameson jokingly whines.

"You would've said that no matter when I quit," Liz sees right though him.

"Well tell me why at least," Jameson asks.

"I'm waiting," Liz just repeats again.

a/n:
betty by dr swift